The Bicycle Connection group ride is a Mountain Bike ride in the Little Gunpowder State Park trail system leaving from the parking lot/trail head on Hartford Rd.

TL:DR We meet READY TO ROLL at the time and location above. We'll Be riding moderate trails; nothing super hard, nothing too boring. Freezing Temps are preferred (see long version). Dress in layers. This is a NO-DROP ride, we regroup at all trail junctures the leader sweeps.

Full version: These Winter Mountain Bike rides are geared towards the rider who is new to off-road and/or new to cold weather riding. An experienced MTB rider will find the pace is on the leisure side (but still fun). Come early and please be ready to roll out by 8:am. Our rides will be range from 5 to 7 miles and usually done within 90 minutes of the start time. The Ride leader will sweep. During the ride we will regroup multiple times at all trail junctions.

Weather. These rides are highly dependent on the freeze thaw cycle. Rides will be canceled if temps rise above freezing in the 9:am hour. Reason; the ground will get extremely muddy during the thaw and riding trails in the 30 to 45 degree temperature range will cause unnecessary damage to the trails. That means we actually prefer cold weather, yeah, it's not as crazy as it sounds. Riding in the woods is a little more work than the pavement and tends to keep us warm and toasty as long as we dress well. In the case of less than ideal trail conditions please know that the "TBC Plan-A" ride will be canceled and replaced by the "TBC Plan-B."

Dress. Riding MTB in the winter will feel warmer than a road ride on the same day. Dress in easy-to-peel layers, you may also want a small back pack or large seat/frame bag to stow a jacket. Leave your cotton hoodie in the drawer and reach for the wool sweater. Cotton will not keep you warm once it's all sweaty. We will see the occasional stream crossing, in the dead of winter these may be frozen but even so you'll still want sturdy and warm footwear to keep toes warm. You may opt for insulated boots and (BMX style) flat pedals over your svelte clipless pedals.

Bikes. Mountain Bikes with a minimum of 2 inch wide tires are best. your MTB from 90's will work (if it still works) fine, but knobby tires are a must. A wider tire will allow for slightly lower pressure and more grip. The key to a happy bike in the winter is a well-lubricated drivetrain.

Terrain: Mountain bike terrain in Baltimore County can offer some short to moderate distance steep punchy climbs. We will be selecting beginner friendly trails that are not boring but will not offer much challenge for the experienced rider.